1. Redistricting Overview North Marin Water District
Overview of District and application of State/Federal voting rights acts

2. What is Redistricting definition
Districted Systems, like Congress and the legislature, elect one-person per district, with only voters from that district casting ballots for their representative.
A system without districts is considered an “at-large” election system. There are also varieties of mixed district and at-large systems.

3. What is Redistricting definition
Redistricting is the process of adjusting district lines every 10 years after the release of the US Census. The well known examples are Congress and the legislature.
Within the US, redistricting has become an extremely politicized process and been the subject of more Supreme Court decisions than any other part of our elections system.
More cases on partisan redistricting are heading to the Supreme Court.

4. What is Redistricting The Gerrymander The term Gerrymander came
from a cartoon depicting a
rather serpentine looking district created by Governor Elbrige Gerry in Massachusetts.

5. What is Redistricting the Gerrymander There are more recent
examples of gerrymandering,
even in California.
This 2001 Senate District is
a great example.

6. What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?

7. What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?

8. What is Redistricting
Why should anyone care?

9. What is Redistricting Why should anyone care?
In local agencies this is unlikely to be about Partisanship as much as rural v. urban; old neighborhoods vs. new, one side of town vs. another.

10. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

11. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

12. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

13. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
Contiguous is a traditional criteria, but there is also such a thing as “functional contiguous” which has two meanings:
When an area isn’t literally contiguous to begin with, they should be drawn with other areas that they are most related to. Think of Angel Island, which could be functionally contiguous with San Francisco, Tiburon or even Oakland based on Ferry connections.
When an area is literally contiguous, but separated by a mountain or lake, it might not be a functional contiguity.

14. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
The North Marin Water District has three so-called “islands” – areas that are not contiguous to the main body of the district with the greatest population.
These should be drawn with areas they are most connected to through communities of interest, transportation, similar interactions with the district or other documentable criteria.

16. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

17. Communities of Interest
Bringing like people together for representation
What is a community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.
Communities covered by the Voting Rights Act
Latinos
Asians
African Americans
While race is a community of interest, it cannot be the predominant factor in drawing districts.

18. Communities of Interest
Bringing like people together for representation
What is a community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.
Other Communities, example are:
People living near an industry (port, airport, downtown)
Senior Citizen communities
Coastal communities
Environmental Interests
Homeowners or Renters

19. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

20. Traditional Redistricting Principles
Should be followed by Local Agencies
There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
Maintain “communities of interest”
Follow city/county/local government lines
Keep districts compact – appearance/function

21. What is the CVRA?
The California Voting Rights Act is a state law that prohibits the use of At-Large election systems in local government if there is racially polarized voting.
“At Large” is defined as anything other than a system in which an elected official lives in a district, and is only elected by members of that district.
“Racially Polarized Voting” is determined through an analysis which quantifies the amount of voting which can be shown to be correlated to race.

22. What is the CVRA?
The California Voting Rights Act takes the principles of the Federal Voting Rights Act and expands it regarding districted elections in two key ways:
While Federal law uses “majority minority” districts as a standard for vulnerability, the CVRA only requires “ability to influence.”
The CVRA requires that plaintiffs get full reimbursement for legal fees associated with any successful challenge.

23. What is the CVRA?
The California Voting Rights Act takes the principles of the Federal Voting Rights Act and expands it regarding districted elections in two key ways:
While Federal law uses “majority minority” districts as a standard for vulnerability, the CVRA only requires “ability to influence.”
The CVRA requires that plaintiffs get full reimbursement for legal fees associated with any successful challenge. These can be lessened or eliminated if the district follows a strict and prompt process for districting.

24. North Marin Water District
Preliminary Findings
Census population is 61,520 based on the 2010 Census. The largest city is Novato with nearly 85% of the population.
Novato: ,904
Black-Point Green Pt. 1,306
Inverness / Olema / B.V. 1,304
Point Reyes Station 848
Dillon Beach 172

25. North Marin Water District
Preliminary Findings
Using this population, the “equal population” is based on how far you deviate from the median district.
Total Population: 61,520
Median: 12,304 (5 districts)
Districts should be drawn within an acceptable population range from the median size, with the largest being no more than 10% larger than the smallest district.

26. North Marin Water District
Preliminary Findings
For determining ethnicity of a district we use the American Community Survey calculations of Citizen Voting Age Population or “CVAP” which is also sometimes called “eligible voters population”
CVAP: 44,804
Latino CVAP: 4,522 (10%)
Asian CVAP: 2,445 (5.5%)
Black CVAP: 800 (2%)

27. North Marin Water District
Preliminary Findings
Voter population of the district is 38,942. While this is not how population is calculated for the creation of districts, we can see interesting data in the voter file.
Total Voters: 38,942
Latino: 3,446
Asian: 1,840
Novato: 31,537
Uninc. Marin: 6,894
Uninc. Sonoma: 1

28. North Marin Water District
What’s Next
Public hearings will be held to obtain input on communities of interest and receive feedback on potential districting plans prior to board adoption
Input can be provided in public hearings or using our “Community of Interest Worksheet.

29. North Marin Water District
What’s Next
Public hearings will be held to obtain input on communities of interest and receive feedback on potential districting plans prior to board adoption
May 21 2nd Public Hearing
May 28 Publish draft maps
June 4 3rd Public Hearing
June 11 Publish amended maps (if any)
June 18 4th Public Hearing
July 9 Publish maps and sequence of elections
July 16 Public Hearing and Ordinance Adoption